Ultimate Primate Tour

Ever wanted to walk in the footsteps of great primatologists Dian Fossey or Jane Goodall? Well on this tour you will experience some truly unforgettable moments. Tracking mountain gorillas and sitting with them as they eat, rest and play – spending the full day following a troop of chimpanzees from dawn to dusk and tracking down some of the rarest monkeys in all of Africa. You will spend twice as much time on average than other gorilla watching tours around and our access to a habituated troop of chimps means you really do become part of their group. Travelling around these two breathtaking countries means time to explore and appreciate the stunning scenery and take in some unusual sights such as the famous tree-climbing lions of Ishasha. All in all this really is the most comprehensive primate tour of east Africa and one which will not disappoint.

Two full day Gorilla Hikes

Expert local primate trackers

Luxury accommodation

Hike the Virunga Mountains for Gorillas

Track rare apes in wonderful rainforests

Two full days wild chimpanzee watching

Mountain Gorilla

Chimpanzee

Golden Monkey

Blue Monkey

Lhoests Monkey

Angola Colobus Monkey

Destination:

Uganda

Tour Dates:

14/9/2015 - 23/9/2015

Duration:

10 nights

Type / Focus:

Primates

Tour Difficulty:

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Price:

£4895 per person

Deposit:

£3500 per person

Single Supplement:

£550

Minimum Passengers:

4 persons (total) before tour runs

Holiday Breakdown

Day 1

Entebbe

On arrival you will be met by your local driver/guide and taken to your accommodation; level – luxury hotel (Imperial Resort Beach Hotel). Here you will be briefed on the tour and told what time you will be collected tomorrow. Today is quite relaxed and allows you time to get a feel for Uganda and the exciting adventure you will be undertaking.

Day 2

Kibale Forest National Park

After an early breakfast you will be picked up and transferred to Kibale Forest National Park (6.5 hours). Kibale is home to the highest concentration of primates in East Africa and one of the most bio-diverse places in all of Africa. After unpacking and having lunch you will have a guided walk through the Bigodi Swamp (which is a community based project) and whilst here you can expect to see red colobus, black and white colobus, grey cheeked monkey, managabey, red-tailed monkey, L’Hoest monket, vervet monkey, blue monkey and olive baboons. All these primates will certainly whet your appetite for the apes over the next few days. You will have your evening meal at your accommodation; level – luxury lodge (Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge Kibale).

Day 3

Kibale Forest National Park

This morning will be a very early start. At 05:30am you will be transferred to Kanyanchu tourist centre in Kibale National Park. Today you will enjoy one of the most spectacular and amazing experiences in the world – a full day chimpanzee habituation tour. This will give you a much longer time with the wild chimps than usual. We will aim to arrive with the chimps between 05:30-06:30am as they de-nest and start about their daily routines. The joy of this habituation tour is that we can spend all day with wild chimps and not leave until they create their new nests and bed down for the night. Spending your first full day in the rainforest is an unforgettable experience and one which will make you eager for more. Your well deserved meal will be back at the accommodation; level – luxury lodge (Ndali Lodge / Primate Lodge).

Day 4

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

After breakfast this morning you will be taken south past the southern sector of the park (if local road conditions allow) (7 hours). This area of Kibale Forest National Park is called Ishasha and is famous for its tree-climbing lions. You will enjoy a short game drive here in search of the lions and other large game. Continuing on to Bwindi in the afternoon you will pass by traditional villages and stunning panoramic views and once you arrive at your accommodation; level – luxury lodge (Buhoma Lodge / Silver Back Lodge) you will have your evening meal in the knowledge that you have arrived in the home of the endangered mountain gorilla.

Day 5

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Today can be viewed as the highlight of your whole trip. Today you will have the humbling and awe-inspiring experience of meeting the gentle giants of Bwindi! After an early breakfast you will begin your exciting hike through this beautiful park. It is impossible to say how long the hike will take (weather, trail conditions and how far the gorillas have moved can all affect the length of the hike), sometimes 2 hours and sometimes 8 hours. But it will all defiantly be worth while as you get to observe the gorillas at close quarters as they eat, rest and play. Your evening meal will be at the accommodation; level – luxury lodge (Buhoma Lodge / Silver Back Lodge).

Day 6

Kabale (Rwanda)

This morning at around 08:00am you will be picked up and transferred to Kable (8 hours) along the way you will pass through the ‘Switzerland of Africa’, hills, lakes, and forest dominate the scenery and make for a beautiful drive. As we near the end of the drive the last valley will stretch out beneath you and expose the Virunga volcanoes and the vast plain of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo. From here you will be taken to one of the most famous buildings in East Africa, the Travellers Rest Hotel. Here you will have lunch in what the famous gorilla researcher Dian Fossey called ‘her second home’. After lunch you will continue across the Cyanika border and to Ruhengeri and your accommodation; Eco-Lodge (Mountain View Gorilla Lodge).

Day 7

Parc National des Volcans (Rwanda)

There is no fixed start and end time for todays gorilla tracking; but once again you will enter the rainforest and this time along the montane slopes of Virunga. Depending on how long it takes to track the gorillas you will be either back at the lodge for a late lunch or dinner. This is the second day you will spend in the presence of mountain gorillas and you may notice differences in their behaviour as the habitats vary slightly between Uganda and Rwanda. Your evening meal will be served at the accommodation; Eco-Lodge (Mountain View Gorilla Lodge).

Day 8

Lake Kivu

Today we will focus on some smaller (but equally beautiful) primates. In the Parc National des Volcans there is a troop of around 40 golden monkeys which have become habituated and can be approached. These bright golden monkeys with black limbs, tail end and crown are endangered and only regularly seen here. After spending sometime with the monkeys you will be driven around the otherside of the Lake Kivu to your accommodation; luxury hotel (Lake Kivu Serena Hotel).

Day 9

Nyungwe Forest National Park (Rwanda)

This morning you will continue the journey to Nyungwe Forest National Park (8 hours). You will have lunch in Butare where there is a very nice museum. After lunch you will continue until you reach Nyungwe forest. In the afternoon you should be able to see some exquisite Angolan colobus monkeys as you drive through the park and surrounding hills. Your evening meal will be at your accommodation; 5* (Nyungwe Forest Lodge). This forest is an exceptional place for primates and boasting 13 species (20% of Africas total) you will not be disappointed.

Day 10

Nyungwe Forest National Park (Rwanda)

Today you will once again enter the rainforest. This morning you will track down a troop of chimpanzees and the afternoon track down a troop of blue monkeys. This forest of one of the richest in all Africa and alongside the wealth of primates there are 275 species of birds (of which an impressive 25 are endemic), 270 species of trees and shrubs, 100 different orchids and many large mammals such elephants, leopards, servals, golden cats, bush pigs and black-fronted duiker. There are loads of walking tracks in the park and the experienced guides will show you the best ones for particular wildlife. This place is a true eldorado for hikers and nature lovers! After your long day exploring the rainforest your well deserved evening meal will be served at your accommodation; 5* (Nyungwe Forest Lodge).

Day 11

Home

This morning you will be taken to the Memorial museum (if the flight is an afternoon flight) otherwise you will be transferred to the airport in time to catch your return flight home.

Please note that the itinerary stated above is correct as our planned intentions for the tour. However adverse weather conditions and other local considerations can necessitate some modifications of the itinerary during the course of the tour; any changes will be made to make the best of the time and weather conditions available to us.

This tour is available on different date (subject to availability) please contact us for more details about running this tour on a date which suits you more.

Extra Information

Weather Conditions

The weather in Uganda and Rwanda is pretty constant all year around. Usually sunny with an average temperature of 26 degrees C and rarely rising above 29 degrees C. There is always the threat of rain (as we walk through rainforests) but this is unavoidable.

What's Included

Everything mentioned in the itinerary is included. Including three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). There will be an amount of bottled water (approx 1ltr) available for each guest each day. We have our own private vehicle to be driven by a local guide.

All our park entrance fees, excursions including treks and guided walks are included.

Also included are two gorilla permits, access to habituated chimps and all other primate watching locations

Personal Equipment

We recommend you bring along your own binoculars or scope as well as appropiate clothing; which should be hard wearing clothing which you do not mind getting muddy. Long trousers and long sleeved shirts are a good idea as well as shorts and short sleeves the nights can be chilly so a fleece is not a bad idea. Water proofs are essential and ponchos not a bad idea either. Comfortable and broken in, water proof walking boots are a must. Insect repllent is needed. Any medication, books or other items of a personal nature is of course up to you to bring along. Oh and please bring plenty of memory cards or film for your camera. Also do not forget sun cream, sun hat and sun glasses as the sun can be very strong here during the day.

Included Equipment

We provide a comprehensive species list of all the vertebrates present in the areas we are visiting as well as some of the best field guides and reference books for the areas we are visiting. There is usually a spare pair of binoculars but in a group of 4-6 people these do not stretch too far. A spotlight is usually provided for nocturnal wildlife watching (when local conditions allow) and Camera Traps will also be used to try and capture hard to see wildlife in the dead of night.

Extra Expenses

Nearly everything is included in this tour. The only things not inlcuded are international flights, travel insurance (contact us for more information one what is required from your insurance policy), any food bought outside of the three main meals, drinks outside of any offered with the meals and the bottled water provided each day and any items of a personal nature such as souveniers and tips. Any departure taxes applicable when leaving are not included (but may be included in the cost of your flights), Please check this before hand.

Flight Information

As we are based in Manchester we recommend flights from Manchester International Airport

We recommend KLM as good airlines for flights to Entebbe and from Kigale. One of the best websites to search for the best fares for all these flights is www.opodo.co.uk; who are IATA accredited this is a link direct to their site. Please check our terms and conditions regarding booking flights.

Please contact us for more information about flights and we can provide you with a link direct to the flights from another supplier; in which case you only have to enter the passenger information and payment details. By using the above link you will leave our site and we at Royle Safaris hold no responsibility for the content on the site.

Visas and Health Information

All UK passport holders are required to have a visa for Uganda and Rwanda. The Ugandan visa is around £35 and the Rwandan visa is free from UK Nationals. However things change so the easiest way to find information is by visiting www.migration.gov.rw and http://www.ugandahighcommission.co.uk (be aware that these links leave our site and we at Royle Safaris hold no responsibility for information on the site).

There are no mandatory vaccinations needed to visit Uganda and Rwanda, but it is recommended to be protected against TB, polio, typhoid, tetanus and hepatitis It is however very important to be taking a form of malaria prophylactics during your time in Uganda and Rwanda. The only vaccination which maybe required is Yellow Fever which you may have to prove when travelling into Rwanda. Please consult your GP about your individual requirements for visiting Uganda and Rwanda as soon as you have decided on this trip.